No matter how hard you try

[Peckerwood]

No matter how hard you try, and prepare, something can still screw you up. After over 1.5 years of waiting and planning. After finally receiving the P4. After stating something to the effect, that wild horses couldn't stop me from being there. I didn't take into account the United States Postal Service. The USPS has lost my returning passport. It should have been here last Thursday, or Friday, the end of June. But alas, it is nowhere to be found. All of this reminds me of a poem.

 

 

Robert Burns

 

 

To A Mouse

 

Poem lyrics of To A Mouse by Robert Burns.

Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim'rous beastie,

O, what a panic's in thy breastie!

Thou need na start awa sae hasty,

Wi' bickering brattle!

I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee

Wi' murd'ring pattle!

 

I'm truly sorry man's dominion,

Has broken nature's social union,

An' justifies that ill opinion,

What makes thee startle

At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,

An' fellow-mortal!

 

I doubt na, whiles, but thou may thieve;

What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!

A daimen icker in a thrave

'S a sma' request;

I'll get a blessin wi' the lave,

An' never miss't!

 

Thy wee bit housie, too, in ruin!

It's silly wa's the win's are strewin!

An' naething, now, to big a new ane,

O' foggage green!

An' bleak December's winds ensuin,

Baith snell an' keen!

 

Thou saw the fields laid bare an' waste,

An' weary winter comin fast,

An' cozie here, beneath the blast,

Thou thought to dwell -

Till crash! the cruel coulter past

Out thro' thy cell.

 

That wee bit heap o' leaves an' stibble,

Has cost thee mony a weary nibble!

Now thou's turn'd out, for a' thy trouble,

But house or hald,

To thole the winter's sleety dribble,

An' cranreuch cauld!

 

But Mousie, thou art no thy lane,

In proving foresight may be vain;

The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men

Gang aft agley,

An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,

For promis'd joy!

 

Still thou art blest, compar'd wi' me;

The present only toucheth thee:

But och! I backward cast my e'e,

On prospects dreaer!

An' forward, tho' I canna see,

I guess an' fear!

[stacato]

Hey Peckerwood, It's their job to lose it, don't you know? now seriously, I hope they find it quickly, anf if not, get a new one, and then ask them for the money.

 

And give us a timeline will ya?

 

PS nice poetry!

[Peckerwood]

Hey Peckerwood, It's their job to lose it, don't you know? now seriously, I hope they find it quickly, anf if not, get a new one, and then ask them for the money.

 

And give us a timeline will ya?

 

PS  nice poetry!

229208[/snapback]

I only have 12 business days untill the flight. I researched all morning,,it doesn't seem quite possible. Even If I drove to DC,,after obtaining the passport, there is still the matter of the Chinese tourist visa.

[Guest pushbrk]

Hey Peckerwood, It's their job to lose it, don't you know? now seriously, I hope they find it quickly, anf if not, get a new one, and then ask them for the money.

 

And give us a timeline will ya?

 

PS  nice poetry!

229208[/snapback]

I only have 12 business days untill the flight. I researched all morning,,it doesn't seem quite possible. Even If I drove to DC,,after obtaining the passport, there is still the matter of the Chinese tourist visa.

229214[/snapback]

I, dunno where you're located but in two full business days in DC, you can have a passport and a Visa. Both will be expensive but quite doable if you can be in DC.

 

Actually you can overnight a passport application to an expediting agency the day before you get to DC, asking them to allow you to pick it up at close of business or deliver to your hotel.

 

Then have an agency hand carry your passport, visa application and fee to the Chinese Embassy the next day. This plan has you arriving at the end of one business day and leaving at the end of the second day.

 

There may even be an agency in DC that will handle both for you. Overnight them what they need tomorrow and have everything back by Tuesday.

 

These guys will do it for less than $300 altogether.

 

http://china.visahq.com/

Edited July 6, 2006 by pushbrk (see edit history)

[frank1538]

12 days is cutting it real close, but there are some expedite services out there that might be able to get a replacement passport in time. As far as getting another mainland visa, I don't know if it's still possible to get one in Hong Kong if your flight takes you there.

[Peckerwood]

I spent all day trying to contact the different services, no one will answer the phone. Unlees you've tried this personally, don't even try to guess.

 

I spent all morning, I get no one on the phone. I did read all of the stats on the DOJ site. I read all of the the links I was directed to. If you haven't gone through this, you are guessing. I've had about enough guessing on this site I can stand. That doesn't include you Frank.

[Guest pushbrk]

I spent all day trying to contact the different services, no one will answer the phone.  Unlees you've tried this personally, don't even try to guess.

 

I spent all morning,  I get no one on the phone.  I did read all of the stats on the DOJ site.  I read all of the the links I was directed to.  If you haven't gone through this, you are guessing.  I've had about enough guessing on this site I can stand.  That doesn't include you Frank.

229228[/snapback]

I obtained my next to last passport in one business day through an agent in DC.

 

I can't speak for agencies that won't answer the phone.

 

Several of us have had dealings with http://www.visarite.com/index.htm

 

They offer similar service but their fastest Passport service is 3 days. Visa in one day is not a problem. They deal through the Chinese Consulate in New York.

 

Reaching David by phone has never been a problem.

Edited July 6, 2006 by pushbrk (see edit history)

[HanLi]

get your passport.... Don't know the process for expediting it....

 

if in DC, you can get your passport to the Chinese Counsulate by 12:00 and pick up your Visa after 2:00 same day... I think it's about $40 extra for same day service on the Visa

[Lowen/Zhang]

http://www.passportvisaexpress.com/?web_vi...k,country.China

 

I use these folks and they are great get your pictures done and overnight to them file the applications on line. Call them in the morning and explain the situation. They have helped me out a couple of times. Expediting stuff. I had my visa back last time in less than a week.

Edited July 6, 2006 by Lowen/Zhang (see edit history)

[longstrangetrip]

For passports in a hurry talk to your local congressional office (senator's office may work as well). You more than likely will be handled by mid-level officials and this is all a matter of course. It will probably entail a trip to DC (i was in Maryland at the time so it was not a major issue), but you can get it the same day. Congressmen have the right to request DOS issueing passports to everyday joes.

 

Goodluck.

[evansfan]

I know that you can get the visa in one day in DC. The chinese visa office is in a nondescript office building on wisconsin ave in NW dc, when i was last there many people were picking up their visas that were expedited in one day

 

Jay

[SmilingAsia]

When a package was sent through UPS, you got a tracking code on your receipt and you can track the package. It's not likely they'd lose it.

 

Among the mail services, I like FedEx best. DHL or UPS always have problem finding addresses in China while FedEx never has any problem.

[Peckerwood]

After finally talking to a human today at the US Passport agency, D.C., I was told it was possible, but not probable. I even went as far as to go through the automated get an appointment spill. I recived as the first open appointment, July 18th.

[Guest pushbrk]

After finally talking to a human today at the US Passport agency, D.C.,  I was told it was possible, but not probable.  I even went as far as to go through the automated get an appointment spill.  I recived as the first open appointment, July 18th.

229403[/snapback]

Appointment for what?

[Peckerwood]

After finally talking to a human today at the US Passport agency, D.C.,  I was told it was possible, but not probable.  I even went as far as to go through the automated get an appointment spill.  I recived as the first open appointment, July 18th.

229403[/snapback]

Appointment for what?

229438[/snapback]

From reading the US Passport Agency Site, if an individual is trying to apply for a passport after one has been lost. They have to have an appointment. I played along with the automated system just to see what would happen. The first appointment date that came up was on July 18.

 

I don't understand how I can go to one of the services you people have nicely left links to, and have it done in a few days. I can only conclude, that a business has more precedence than an average citizen. At this US Government facility.